Your 10 Most Bewildering Beauty Questions -- Answered!

Cosmo's beauty team receives tons of letters from readers begging for answers to perplexing questions like

Oct 07, 2002

Is it okay to use the brushes that come with blush and eye-shadow kits, or should you buy separate brushes?

While having your own set of pro-caliber tools is key to creating flawless makeup effects, the little guys that come tucked in with products aren't worthless. For example, while it's not ideal to apply blush with the brush that comes in the packaging (the results tend to be too streaky), that same tool could be used to sweep translucent shadow across your lids. And although picky pros recommend you swap packaged eye-shadow swabs for larger natural-bristle brushes, we think they're perfectly fine as long as you blend the shadow with your fingertips after you sweep it on. You can also use the tip of a sponge eye-shadow applicator to line your eyes or dab on concealer. One investment we recommend everyone make: a natural or soft synthetic bristle makeup brush that you can use for loose powder and blush. You need to distribute those products really well, and nothing gets the job done like a big brush.

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Is blow-drying with your head flipped upside down really better?

If you're a limp-locked lass seeking va-va-volume, then definitely, says David Kastin, senior stylist at New York City's Cutler salon. "Whenever you move your hair against its natural growth direction and point hot air toward the roots, your strands will start to perk up." And though the old upside-down flip isn't the only way to go (brushing your hair over your head from side to side or from back to front while blow-drying works too), it's probably the easiest, especially if you have long locks -- head rush aside. For best results, tousle your roots with your free hand while drying them. Before you blow-dry, apply a volumizer to your roots, then comb it through to your ends. For curly-haired honeys who want extra volume at their roots, the upside-down blow-dry is perfectly safe (as in, you won't turn your head into a giant mushroom cloud) as long as you take a few precautions. Prep your curls with a ringlet-enhancing styler or, if your ringlets are very coarse, a good leave-in conditioner. Place a diffuser attachment on the dryer, flip your hair upside down, then instead of tousling your hair, just hold it steady with your hands and scrunch gently. When it's just about dry, flip your head back up, shake the roots a bit to loosen the curl, then let air-dry completely.

Should you wash your face when you get up in the morning even if you cleansed right before bed, or is a quick rinse enough?

You'd think it would be hard to muck up your face during that all-too-brief period between hitting the hay and greeting the day. But sadly, you'd be wrong: Almost everyone's skin accumulates some oil overnight, according to Arielle Kauvar, M.D., associate director of the Laser and Skin Surgery Center of New York and clinical associate professor of dermatology at the New York University School of Medicine. And though the oil itself isn't necessarily bad, applying moisturizer and makeup directly on top of it is. Plus, if you use any treatment products at night, their residue, however invisible, could mess with your daytime makeup. Of course, you don't want to overcleanse either, because that can lead to parched, tight skin. But a rinse-off in the shower isn't enough. Dr. Kauvar's solution: Wash your face both in the pm and am with a gentle soapless cleanser that won't dry your skin out.

Are you supposed to line your entire eye or just the outer corners?

There are no strict rules; we think both effects work beautifully but for different occasions. Lining just the outer corners gives you a wide-eyed quality that's right for day. "Rimming your whole eye adds intensity, drama and more of a nighttime feel," says New York City makeup artist Barbara Fazio. A few more liner notes: No matter which effect you're going for, thicken and smudge the line upward as you get to the outermost portion of your eye to create a lifting effect. And apply the liner close to your lash roots to make your lashes look thicker. Pencil liner works perfectly for pulling off both effects, but liquid liner is better suited for lining the whole eye. When using a liquid liner, keep a cotton swab by your side to fix any boo-boos. "Liquid liner is meant to create a sharp, long-lasting line," explains Fazio, "so there's not much room for error with it."

Should your lip liner match or contrast with your lipstick?

Though a few tarty types (hello, Lil' Kim!) still sport the dark-outline thing, it's a dated look. The best mouth-defining approach: Match your lip pencil to your lipstick. "You'll make your lips look fuller and give them a cleaner shape," says New York City celebrity makeup artist Vincent Longo. Start by lining and filling in your mouth with a lip pencil. "This step creates an intense laying down of color and makes whatever you apply next last longer," Longo says. Finish with a matching lipstick, stain or gloss. The one exception to this rule: Use a flesh-toned pencil under any color of lipstick or gloss. If you don't think you have a steady enough hand to use a dark color or don't want to make your lipstick look deeper in hue, they're more forgiving and do just as good a job.

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Does shaving make your hair grow back darker or coarser, and does waxing make it grow back more slowly?

Can you say old wives' tale?! A razor has no magical powers: It can neither fatten nor darken hairs. What it can do is create the illusion of coarser, darker regrowth: "Shaving produces blunt ends because you're simply cutting the hair -- not yanking it from its roots as you do with waxing -- and these blunt ends may be thicker than natural ends would be," explains Dr. Kauvar. "And waxing doesn't slow hair's speed of growth, it just appears to." Because waxing removes hairs at the root, you don't see them again until they grow to skin level and longer, but since a razor cuts hairs at skin level, you see regrowth right away.

Can you overtweeze your brows to the point that they don't grow back?

Only in the rarest of instances, according to Dr. Kauvar. But when it does happen, here's why: "The repetitive trauma that's produced by tweezing can scar your follicles," she explains. And a scarred follicle will produce either an unruly curly hair (the kind of hair that would look more at home further south) or no hair at all. If you're waiting for your overtweezed brows to fill out, try Talika Eyebrow Lipocils, a botanically based gel that stimulates the follicles. To avoid this problem in the future, have your brows waxed professionally, then tweeze only the hairs that grow way out of bounds. This way, if the hair doesn't grow back, it'll only be hairs you didn't want in the first place.

Should someone with oily skin moisturize?

Absolutely, says Dr. Kauvar. First of all, everyone needs to wear an SPF of at least 15 during the day. Another point to consider: "Oily skin doesn't make you immune to environmental damage such as wind burn or general irritation," she says. "And moisturizer forms a good protective barrier against that kind of thing." Plus, oily-skinned people may want the treatment benefits (pigment evening, line preventing, firming) often included in today's moisturizers. There's a slew of nongreasy, oil-free formulas that offer sun protection and are perfectly safe for oily complexions. (Just make sure to pick potions labeled oil-free and noncomedogenic.)

Should you apply concealer over or under foundation?

In general, you should always put foundation on first, then layer on concealer, says New York City makeup artist Bobbi Brown. For example, if you want to downplay a zit, foundation goes first, then dab on a blemish cover-up. (Preapplied cover-up would smear right off during foundation application.) The same technique goes for covering redness around your nose, except that you'd use a regular formula. An exception: To hide under-eye circles, use only concealer (applied with either your finger or a synthetic brush), not foundation.

Should blush go on the apples of your cheeks or under your cheekbones?

It depends on the effect you're trying to achieve. For a healthy glow that looks appropriate day or night, go the apple-of-the-cheek route, says Longo. Start with a smile to make the target area more pronounced, then apply a powder or cream blush right at the center of the chubbiest part of your cheek. Blend outward, keeping the more intense color at the apples. The cheekbone approach really only works in the evening, when you can pull off a more diva-esque look. Apply it directly on the top parts of your cheekbones (not under the cheekbone a la those '80s stripes). A cream formula is your best bet for creating this effect. Just blend until the edges fade softly.